Arch support for shoes



April? 1 1924, 71 48 595 i. GASH ARCH SUPPORT FOR SHOES Filed Aug. 28, 1923 Patented Apr. 1, 1924. I

IDA GASH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ARCH SUPPORT FOR. SHOES.

Application filed August 28, 1923. Serial No. 659,715.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that I, IDA GAsH, a citizen of the United States of America, residin at Brooklyn in the county of Kings and btate of New 1 ork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch Supports for Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

.My present invention relates generally to arch supports, and more particularly to arch supports of that type embodying metallic supporting members in connection with a flexible body member which receives and retains the metallic support and which is enclosed between the same and the foot, and the object of my invention is the provision of a rigid supporting member which will effectively brace and properly hold the foot, and a further object is the provision of a slmple, strong and durable construction in which the supporting member will last indefinitely and in connection with which the body or covering member may be renewed from time to time as may become necessary.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an arch support especially adapted for the effective support of tender feet as well as one having permanent and maximum corrective action.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates my present invention and forms a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through my improved arch support as a whole, showing the same in proper position relative to a foot.

Figure 2 is a top plan view, and

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Referring now to these figures my invention proposes an arch support consisting in the first instance of a flexible body member 10 shaped as clearly shown by a comparison of Figures 1 and 2 to conform to the shape of a foot A in connection with which the support is to be utilized and to properly interfit a shoe in which it is employed, the

body member being for this purpose shaped as the inner sole of a shoe although it is intended for use therein without actual connection with the shoe itself so as to permitv i is preferably formed of leather of a durable nature, my invention proposes the use of any intern'iediately arched supporting member 11 which extends along the lower surface of the body member along its heel, and arch portions and terminates at its forward por tion approximately at that portion of the body member opposite the arch of the foot.

The member 11 which controls the shape or corrective contour of the body member and which from its front to its rear end extends for approximately the-full width of the body member along 'the'heel, arch and ball portions of the latter, thus leaves :1

frontor toe portion of the body member which is entirely flexible. Moreover this supporting member 11 is preferably formed of a metal such as brass having sufficient stiffness and strength to permanently retain its original shape and prevent flattening or distortion under the weight of the user and, as will be notedby a careful in spection of Figures 2 and 3 this rigid metallic supporting member is free of active connection with the body member in so far as fastening members, usually in the nature of rivets, are concerned. Thus should the body member or those members by which the support 11 is retained in proper relation to the body member, wear through, it

is a comparatively simple matter to remove the worn parts. I

The heel portion of the support 11 is retained by virtue of a rear covering member 12, preferably of fiexible'material such as leather, which is secured as by means of stitches 13 along the rear and side edgesof the heel portion of. the body member 10 and which is open along its front edge so as to thus form a pocket receiving and holding the heelv portion of the supporting member 11 and adapted to receive and hold one or more pads 14 as for instance seen in F igure 3 either designed for the additional protection of tender feet or for the purpose of throwing a particular foot forwardly.

The forward portion of the arched supporting member or plate 11 is retained by virtue of a forward covering strip 15 which extends across the lower surface of the body member 10 and overlies the forward end of the arched plate 11. This forward covering member or strip is secured as by means of stitches 16 along its side edges to the adjacent portions of the side edges of the body member 10 and is preferably open at its front and rear edges to form forwardly and rearwardly opening pockets into which one or more padslT and. 18 respectively may be disposed to relieve certain portions of the foot from abnormal pressure in use :as well as to additionally protect and comfort ten der feet.

It is obvious from the foregoing that by forming the arched plate 11 of brass suffic'iently heavy to permanently preserve its original arched shape and avoid all danger of flattening or distortion in use, as well as by retaining this )late in connection with the body member witliout rivets or other fastening members, I provide for the ready renewal of the body member and the covering strips or members.

It is further obvious that by utilizing a flexible body member of full foot form and substantial thickness and shaping the same like the shape of an insole to interfit a shoe, the body member will prevent any tendency of the parts to shift or become displaced beneath the foot in use and that a flexible por-- tion of the body member will thus extend beyond the forward end of the arched supporting plate for the reception of various foot easing members such as for instance a callous protecting ring 19 which may be easily secured as by means of adhesives to the lower surface of the forward free portion of the foot to protect the foot without actually contacting therewith.

It is further obvious my invention as thus shown and described presents a construction which is not-only simple and inexpensive in the first instance but will be durable and v V highl effective in use.

I c aim:

1. An arch support including a body member of flexible material having full foot form, a rigid supporting plate extending along the heel and arch portions of the body member for substantially its full width and to approximately that portion thereof underlying the ball of a foot in use, and re- "derlying the ball of afoot in use, and reof the body member covering the front and rear portions of the plate.

3. n arch support including a body member of flexible material having full foot form, a rigid supporting plate extending alon the heel and arch portions of the body mem r for substantially its full width and to approximatel that portion thereof underlying the bal of the foot in use, and retaining means in connection with the body member for the said plate including members upon and attached to the lower surface of the body member covering the front and rear portions of the plate, said members being flexible and the forward member opening forwardly and rearwardly to receive adjusting pads as described.

4. An arch support including a body member of flexible material having full foot form, a rigid supporting plate extending along the heel and arch portions of the body member for substantially its full width and to approximately that ortion thereof underlying the ball of a cot in use, and retainmg means in connection with the body member for the said plate including members upon and attached to the lower surface of the bodymember covering the front and rear portions of the. plate, the forward member consisting of a stri secured to its side edges along portions 0 the'side ed es of the body vmember and open along its front'and rear edges to form a forwardly and rearwardly opening pad receiving pocket.

5. An arch support including a body member of flexible material having full foot form, a rigid supporting plate extending alon the heel and arch portions of the body mem r for substantially its full width and to approximately that ortion thereof underlying the ball of a cot in use, and retaimng means in connection with the body member for the said plate including members upon and attached to the lower surface of the body member covering the front and rear portions of the plate, the rear member consisting of a strip secured along the rear and side edges thereof to the rear and side edges of the heel portion of the body member and open along its forward edge to form a ,pad receivin pocket.

In testimony whereo I have afiixed my si ature.

gn IDA- GASH. 

